Dominic Cummings claims he behaved 'reasonably' with lockdown travel, adding: it's not about what you guys think

Dominic Cummings told reporters he was justified for travelling to his parents home during the lockdown: PA

Dominic Cummings has defended his trip to County Durham during the lockdown, insisting he behaved "reasonably and legally" and that he doesn't care how it looks.

Asked by reporters if travelling more than 250 miles from his London home during lockdown "looked good", Boris Johnson's chief aide said: “Who cares about good looks? It’s a question of doing the right thing."

He then added: "It’s not about what you guys think.”

Opposition MPs have accused Number 10 of a “cover-up” and called for Mr Cummings to resign after it emerged that he had travelled to Durham, days after travelling restrictions were enforced as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

But Downing Street has defended his actions , insisting he "acted in line with guidelines" and that his journey was "essential" because he needed childcare.

Downing Street had previously confirmed that Mr Cummings had started displaying coronavirus symptoms “over the weekend” of March 28 and 29.

An unnamed neighbour told the Mirror and the Guardian, who first broke the story, that on the same day Mr Cummings was seen in the garden of his parents’ home in Durham as Abba’s Dancing Queen was playing loudly.

“I got the shock of my life, as I looked over to the gates and saw him,” they said. "I recognised Dominic Cummings – he’s a very distinctive figure.”

Former Conservative MP David Lidington, who was de facto deputy PM under Theresa May, was among those saying the news raised serious questions.

He told BBC Newsnight: “There’s clearly serious questions that Number 10 are going to have to address, not least because the readiness of members of the public to follow government guidance more generally is going to be affected by this sort of story.”